After going through the disclosure and review process, UA Little Rock Tech Launch staff decides on the best protection method that will ensure the maximum return on investment to the university and its mission.
Methods of protection include:
- Copyrights-According to the U.S. Copyrights Office, Copyright is a form of protection grounded in the U.S. Constitution and granted by law for original works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression. Copyright covers both published and unpublished works. Timeframe for protection.
- Normally registration at the office is not required, however, it is necessary in case an infringement leads into litigation.
- Registration Timeframe is 3-10 months after application to the office is submitted.
- Patent protection-According to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, a patent is a government authority to an individual or organization conferring a right or title, especially the sole right to make, use, or sell an invention.
- To find out more about how the process for obtaining a patent works go here.
- Obtaining a patent can be a relatively lengthy process and it may take several years for a patent to be issued. Further, based on the examiner’s comments the patent may be divided in several subsequent patents called continuation in part or divisional patent applications.
- However, for commercialization purposes a patent application can also be licensed to companies.
UA Little Rock Tech Launch will decide on the best commercialization pathway to take. A technology may be:
- Licensed to a large company
- Licensed to a small company
- Licensed to a spin-out company (a company formed by UA Little Rock entrepreneurial faculty and staff)
- Outsourced to a technology broker or marketed passively in technology portals for licensing purposes
After a technology has been licensed, UA Little Rock Tech Launch monitors, procures, and distributes royalties/revenues obtained from the commercialization process.